Eternal Sunshine ✓

34. Ain't Going Nowhere

"I'm listening, what were you looking to speak about?"

Tasha sat up on her seat, a bit nervous about speaking so directly to Steven's mom. "I wanted to discuss my relationship with Steven."

The woman visibly tensed.

Tasha continued, "I know you're not very fond of me, Mrs. Morrison. And, seriously I'm not here to make you love me."

There was a pause as the two stared at each other, wanting the conversation to end already. They could hear the dinner party going on in the other room and Tasha could swear she heard Steven pacing outside the door. She had practically kicked him out of the office as soon as his mom agreed to have the short private conversation.

"Whatever's the reason for your disdain for me is not my business. Instead, Steven is now my business. And our relationship's well-being matters to me."

Mrs. Morrison sighed heavily, annoyed by what she felt Tasha was insinuating. "So, what are you saying exactly?"

"I'm saying that I am here to stay. Whether you remain disrespectful, hateful, and persist with your racist remarks-I'll be here."

"And why are you telling me this?"

"I guess I'm just letting you know to stop while it's early because your disrespect toward me is only driving Steven away from you. I can't imagine how painful that must be for you as his mother."

The older woman was growing angrier by the second as it was difficult for her to deny Tasha was ultimately correct.

Knowing how right the young girl was, Mrs. Morrison resorted to attacking, "Oh please, like you would know what healthy parent-child relationships look like. Being raised by parents like yours, only God knows what awful things they taught you."

Now Tasha was pissed, and she decided to stop mincing her words. "Look, Mrs. Morrison. I get it. Steven told me about your past with my parents and what my dad did to you. I cannot apologize for what he did, and yet I'm very sorry. Still, you have to take responsibility for how you let that experience color your perspective. The problem is not that I'm black and therefore inadequate for your son, instead, the problem is that you allowed one horrible experience with a black man to serve as an excuse to confirm your messed up biases. Just own up to that."

Tasha let her words sink in by taking a deliberate break. She looked at the woman sitting opposite her as cogs in her brain seemed to turn with her expression still stoic and irritated.

"But again, I'm not here to beg you to stop being racist. That is absolutely not my job. All I want is for you to let me be and let my relationship flourish in peace. And who knows, perhaps in the future we could even end up being cordial with each other."

Without waiting for the woman to say anything back, Tasha stood up and walked toward the door. Before she could exit the office, Mrs. Morrison spoke up where she sat.

"I never understood why Steve was so drawn to you over the years. Now... I think I may be starting to see." It wasn't really a compliment, especially not with the tone she used, yet Tasha smiled at her nonetheless and swiftly left the room.